The Cologne game designer couple Sabrina and Hanno von Contzen spent two years developing, designing and conceiving - the result is a cooperative card game in which you have to compete against a seemingly overwhelming opponent: the weather. More precisely: a downpour. The new release is available now.
One to four players try together in the cloudburst card game to protect four flames from the rain. Only if the players manage to unfurl the protective umbrella will they be successful in the end. In the case of the cooperative work, as is so often the case: you win together or lose together.
The downpour as an opponent
In turn, players carry out their actions during a downpour by using their four action points each. Events are played out or drops of water are skimmed off, no matter what you do: the main thing is that the flames keep burning. Because it is a purely cooperative card game, agreements take on important roles before and during the moves.
When small publishers, independent authors or, as in this case, a duo of authors develop a game, they have to be convinced of their idea - and mostly they want to convey a message. So up in the downpour. Sabrina and Hanno Contzen want their new card game to be understood as food for thought. Continuous rain, London weather? What should be worth striving for in this? Initially nothing, the message is hidden behind the game principle: It's about protection, things worth protecting, dealing with negative influences. In addition, Wolkenbruch should be an entertainment tool so that you can get out of everyday life for a manageable amount of time.
Dachshund Games has already published a teaser on cloudburst:
Simple rules, a manageable playing time and different levels of difficulty should make this possible. “Cooperative” can also be done all by yourself in cloudburst. The game has a solo mode. The illustrations are also striking: they are handmade. In street art style, because that's what the micro-publisher Dachshund Games, which previously published the games Mint Condition and Night Owls, stands for, among other things.
And there is also an intention behind it: through art, more precisely through laughing drops or flames, a contrast is to be created only with the negativity of the word "cloudburst". And anyway, the entire graphic concept is a homage to the street art of the cathedral city, which is often perceived as dingy. And for those who think that when there is a downpour there is only raindrops, waves, clouds and lightning anyway: five sun cards are also included, in proper style with sunglasses.
Anyone who has become curious and thinks: I'll quickly run to the game dealer I trust or click through the board game offers on Amazon: No! Wolkenbruch is now available at a price of around 20 euros, but not in stores, but exclusively via the Cologne publisher's web shop at dachshund.games.
